Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Negotiate a global crisis in a UN simulation during this two-week Dartmouth academy for high school students.
Students in Summer Discovery’s 2026 Dartmouth program rated their overall experience 4.3 out of 5.
Course Description
Students study why international conflicts begin, how they end, and what diplomats and institutions can do when interests collide. Case studies and current events introduce civil war, peacekeeping, negotiation, and the role of the United Nations in international security.
Research and simulation place students inside the problem. They evaluate sources, compare stakeholder positions, identify trade-offs, build coalitions, and draft resolutions. Library research and guest speakers from Dartmouth’s Dickey Center for International Understanding connect the work to international-affairs practice.
The academy culminates in a United Nations Security Council simulation focused on conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. Representing member states, students prepare briefings, draft resolutions, negotiate agreements, and respond to questions while balancing their assigned country’s priorities.
Preparation for the simulation is cumulative. Research defines each state's interests, drafted language makes proposals precise, and live negotiation reveals which goals are essential and where compromise is possible. The final crisis response tests all three at once.
This two-week full-day academy is part of Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars. Students spend the full program focused on one intensive academy. The academy is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic work with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study or pursue next. The program is developed and academically led by Dartmouth.
What Will You Do?
• Research the causes and endings of civil wars
• Evaluate conflict-resolution and peacekeeping strategies
• Use library and international-affairs resources
• Compare the interests and constraints of different states
• Identify trade-offs and coalition-building opportunities
• Draft resolutions for a United Nations Security Council simulation
• Debate and negotiate responses to international crises
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how negotiation and conflict-resolution strategies apply to international crises
• Find and evaluate sources for research in international affairs
• Draft, present, and negotiate resolutions in a UN Security Council simulation
Students leave with researched resolutions and simulation experience, stronger negotiation and communication skills, and clearer direction about international relations, policy, law, or diplomacy.
Why International Negotiation Skills Matter
International negotiation requires students to understand both their own goals and the pressures shaping another party's position. Strong negotiators research carefully, identify trade-offs, build coalitions, and communicate clearly without losing sight of the larger problem.
Simulations make those skills visible. Drafting resolutions and responding to debate develop evidence use, strategic thinking, public speaking, and compromise under pressure. These abilities matter in diplomacy, law, policy, business, nonprofit leadership, and any setting where people must work across conflicting interests.
Who Should Attend?
This academy is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in global affairs, diplomacy, history, political science, law, public policy, or conflict resolution. It suits students who enjoy research, debate, strategic thinking, and understanding competing perspectives.
Participants should be ready to evaluate varied sources, represent a position they may not personally hold, negotiate in teams, draft formal resolutions, and speak during a simulation. Respectful disagreement, careful preparation, and comfort discussing serious real-world conflicts are essential.
Recommended by 9 out of 10 Students
Based on students surveyed in the Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars program (2026)
Why Dartmouth?
Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars gives high school students a concentrated introduction to college-level learning in Hanover, New Hampshire. The program is developed and academically led by Dartmouth. Students explore current ideas through discussion, projects, and sustained work that helps them test an academic interest in depth.
Residential students live in Dartmouth residence halls, eat at 53 Commons, and can join workshops and counselor-supported evening and weekend activities. Time in Hanover and the Upper Valley adds a distinctive New England setting, while the broader experience helps students build independence and clarify what they may want to study next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive